Pakistan and India are set to face off in the fifth match of the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium. The tournament, scheduled from 19 February to 9 March 2025, features the top eight ranked men’s national teams competing for the prestigious title.
Group A comprises Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, while Group B includes Australia, England, Afghanistan, and South Africa.
Table of Contents
Pakistan vs India: Preview
If Pakistan ever needed a miracle, it’s now. Through no fault of their players, they find themselves isolated in international cricket, hosting their first ICC event in 29 years. Yet, just three days into the Champions Trophy and reeling from a heavy defeat against New Zealand, Pakistan faces an early exit from a tournament they waited decades to host.
To stay in contention, Pakistan must overcome arch-rivals India on a sluggish pitch already familiar to the Indian side, who boast a five-pronged spin arsenal. Ironically, Pakistan must potentially leave their own party for Dubai because India declined to travel to Pakistan—a decision neither India’s cricket board nor government has fully explained. Can you blame Pakistan for feeling besieged, especially when they must fight to have their nation’s name reinstated in official broadcast branding? In moments like these, even seemingly innocent oversights can appear deliberate.
This scenario creates an odd dynamic between the players. Despite the political tension, the cricketers maintain mutual respect and cordiality—much to the frustration of those who wish animosity spilled onto the field. The intensity of the rivalry is further sharpened by the widening gap between the two teams.
Pakistan, once pioneers of cricketing innovation in Asia, now find themselves out of step with the modern limited-overs game. India, meanwhile, have transformed from a team of cautious accumulators to forward-thinking contenders. In an era where ICC schedules often ensure at least one high-profile India-Pakistan clash, Pakistan’s limited success—wins only in 2017 and 2021 since 2011—speaks volumes.
Yet, conditions might offer Pakistan a glimmer of hope. Dubai’s slow pitches, recently used for the ILT20, could curb India’s middle-over big-hitting edge. With early afternoon starts minimizing dew, the toss becomes crucial. Just last year, Sri Lanka exploited similar conditions to upset India, winning tosses, batting first, and posting mid-200 scores. Pakistan will hope for a similar script, but India, too, have learned from past lessons.
Ahead of Sunday’s much-anticipated Champions Trophy clash between India and Pakistan, players from both camps are singing a familiar tune: “It’s just another game.” Despite the high stakes and the storied rivalry, both teams are attempting to downplay the pressure surrounding the fixture.
“It doesn’t change anything for us, honestly. We play every match to win, and this is no different,” India’s vice-captain Shubman Gill remarked on the eve of the showdown. Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf echoed the sentiment, stating, “There’s no extra pressure; we’re relaxed. We’re treating it like just another match.” Yet, beneath the calm words, it’s hard to believe that Pakistan’s players—fighting to stay alive in the tournament—aren’t feeling the heat.
Pakistan’s campaign began on a shaky note with a heavy defeat to New Zealand, exposing flaws in both batting and bowling. The bowlers struggled with accuracy, while the batters failed to find the acceleration needed to challenge their opponents. Friday night’s net session at the ICC Academy revealed a team working urgently to correct those issues. Bowlers focused on honing their in-swing deliveries—missing in their previous outing—while batters prioritized clearing the ropes, addressing their inability to find boundaries against New Zealand.
India, too, exhibited a sense of purpose in their preparations. Virat Kohli, grappling with a dip in form, arrived an hour ahead of his teammates for an extended batting session. Flanked by two throwdown specialists—one left-handed, the other right-handed—and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, Kohli worked tirelessly to rediscover his timing and trademark swagger. His once-fluid cover drives, lately lacking their usual elegance, were a focal point of the intense training.
Shubman Gill has amassed 2,688 runs in just 51 innings—the highest by any player at that stage—with an impressive average of 62.51. Only Imam-ul-Haq (9) has more centuries at this point in his career.
On paper and recent form, India holds the upper hand. Since the 2017 Champions Trophy final, India has dominated this rivalry, winning five of the last six meetings. Despite Pakistan leading the overall head-to-head record 73-57, India has suffered just one defeat in their past nine encounters since the 2015 World Cup—a record that further cements their status as favorites.
Pakistan’s recent ICC tournament wins over India have been fueled by early breakthroughs from their seamers, with Mohammad Amir dismantling India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final and Shaheen Afridi striking in the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Yet, as cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar noted during a television appearance on Friday, dismissing Pakistan outright would be unwise. “Rohit Sharma’s men are strong favorites,” Gavaskar acknowledged, “but a single game-changing moment can tilt the scales in either direction.”
The question remains: Who will rise to be that decisive game-changer?
Pakistan vs India: Head-to-head
India have emerged victorious in nine of their last 11 completed ODIs against Pakistan across the World Cup, Champions Trophy, and Asia Cup.
Pakistan have defeated India in three of their five encounters in the Champions Trophy, including the final in 2017.
- Matches Played: 115
- Won by India: 57
- Won by Pakistan: 73
- Tied: 0
- No Result: 5
- First-ever Fixture: October 1, 1978
- Most-recent Fixture: October 14, 2023
Pakistan vs India: Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
In their opener against Bangladesh, India aimed to bowl first but soon realized the pitch conditions worked against that decision as it slowed down with no dew in sight.
Teams in Dubai are unlikely to repeat that error, instead focusing on capitalizing during the powerplay before the middle overs become restrictive. Given the recently utilized pitches from a T20 tournament and a bright, sunny forecast with minimal dew expected, the toss-winning side is likely to opt for batting first.
Pakistan vs India: Recent Form
Pakistan LLWLW (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
India WWWWL
Pakistan vs India: Team News and Predicted XI
Pakistan – Team News
Imam-ul-Haq has been brought into the squad to fill the void left by Pakistan’s explosive opener, Fakhar Zaman. While Usman Khan is another batting option, a potential ODI debut would see him step into an unfamiliar position, given his usual No. 4 spot in List A cricket.
Despite conditions favouring spin, Pakistan coach Aqib Javed remains steadfast in his approach, emphasizing the team’s reliance on pace. As a result, Pakistan will field a three-pronged fast-bowling attack featuring Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf.
Pakistan – Predicted XI
- Â Imam-ul-Haq
- Babar Azam
- Saud Shakeel
- Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk)
- Salman Agha
- Tayyab Tahir
- Khushdil Shah
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
- Naseem Shah
- Haris Rauf
- Abrar Ahmed
India – Team News
India are expected to stick with their winning combination, with no changes anticipated in the playing XI. Although Rishabh Pant is sidelined with a viral fever, it is unlikely to affect the team’s lineup.
Rohit Sharma is set to field the same squad that faced Bangladesh on Thursday. This means Harshit Rana will retain his spot over left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh, while Mohammed Shami will spearhead the bowling attack.
India – Predicted XI
- Rohit Sharma (c)
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul (wk)
- Hardik Pandya
- Axar Patel
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Mohammed Shami
- Harshit Rana
Pakistan vs India: Players To Watch Out For
Salman Agha (Pakistan)
Salman Agha has emerged as a bright spot for Pakistan in recent ODI matches. Since 2024, he has amassed 325 runs in the middle overs—the second-highest for his team—averaging 65.00 with a strike rate of 88.07.
Pakistan will rely heavily on his resilience during the middle phase, especially when India deploy their spinners to tighten the scoring rate.
Virat Kohli (India)
Virat Kohli has struggled against legspin recently, falling to it in each of his last five encounters, scoring just 21 runs off 46 deliveries in ODIs. While Pakistan lack a traditional legspinner, Abrar Ahmed’s ability to turn the ball both ways poses a similar challenge.
On slower pitches where big hits are harder to come by, the key lies in rotating strike without unnecessary risks—something India might need in this contest. The question remains: will the vintage Kohli make an appearance? Virat Kohli is just 15 runs away from becoming the third player—and the fastest—to reach 14,000 ODI runs.
Pakistan vs India:P Prediction
Scenario 1
- Toss:Â India win the toss and opt to bowl first
- Powerplay Score:Â 40-50
- Pakistan Total:Â 230-240
- Match Result:Â India win the match
Scenario 2
- Toss:Â Pakistan win the toss and opt to bowl first
- Powerplay Score:Â 50-60
- India Total:Â 260-270
- Match Result:Â Pakistan win the match
When and Where To Watch Pakistan vs India LIVE? Broadcast and Streaming Details
The ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 Group A encounter between Pakistan and India is scheduled for Sunday, February 23, at the Dubai International Stadium in United Arab Emirates.
The match will commence at 2:30 PM IST, with the toss set for 2:00 PM. Fans can watch the live broadcast on the Star Sports Network, while live streaming will be available on the JioHotstar app and website.
Read More: Virat Kohli’s Struggles Against Spin: What’s Holding Him Back?
FAQs
When is the India vs Pakistan Champions Trophy 2025 match scheduled?
The high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan will take place in the fifth match of the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium.
What is India and Pakistan’s head-to-head record in ODIs?
Out of 115 ODI encounters, Pakistan lead with 73 wins, while India have won 57 matches, with five having no result.
How have India and Pakistan fared against each other in ICC tournaments?
India hold a 10-3 advantage over Pakistan in ICC ODI events, but Pakistan lead 3-2 in Champions Trophy encounters, including their win in the 2017 final.
Which players are close to major milestones in the India vs Pakistan match?
Virat Kohli needs 15 runs to reach 14,000 ODI runs, becoming the fastest to achieve this feat, while Shubman Gill boasts the highest runs (2,688) after 51 innings.
Who are the key players to watch in the India vs Pakistan Champions Trophy 2025 clash?
India’s Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli aim to anchor the batting, while Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Salman Agha will be crucial in both powerplay and middle overs.
